Device for printing hollow bodies

Abstract

A device for printing hollow bodies includes a rubber blanket cylinder. A supply device, which guides the hollow bodies to the rubber blanket cylinder, is provided. The supply device comprises a mandrel which is rotated by a drive. One of the hollow bodies to be printed is arranged coaxially on the mandrel. An axial spacing between the mandrel and the rubber blanket cylinder can be changed as a result of an adjusting movement of the supply device. The adjusting movement of the supply device is a linear adjusting movement. The supply device is configured as a linear system which radially supplies the hollow bodies to the rubber blanket cylinder individually and one after the other. The supply device has multiple different positions, each of which places the respective hollow body to be printed, along the adjustment path of the supply device. The positions are arranged at different respective radial distances with respect to the rubber blanket cylinder.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for printing hollow bodies, comprising a blanket cylinder ( 02 ), wherein a feed mechanism ( 12 ) for advancing the hollow bodies to the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) is provided, wherein the feed mechanism ( 12 ) is equipped with a clamping mandrel ( 13 ) driven rotationally by a drive, wherein one of the hollow bodies to be printed is arranged coaxially on the clamping mandrel ( 13 ), wherein the axial distance between the clamping mandrel ( 13 ) and the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) can be varied by way of an adjusting movement of the feed mechanism ( 12 ), wherein the feed mechanism ( 12 ) is configured as a system for feeding the hollow bodies, one at a time in succession, to the blanket cylinder ( 02 ), wherein the feed mechanism ( 12 ) has along its travel path (S) a plurality of different positions (A; B; C) each for the positioning of said hollow body to be printed, wherein each of these positions (A; B; C) is located at a different radial distance from the blanket cylinder ( 02 ), characterized in that the feed mechanism ( 12 ) is configured as a linear system for feeding the hollow bodies radially to the blanket cylinder ( 02 ), wherein the adjusting movement of this feed mechanism ( 12 ) is a linear adjusting movement, wherein the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) is equipped with a cam disk ( 21 ) having at least two curved sections ( 22 ;  23 ), wherein the printing region of the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) is defined by a first curved section ( 22 ) of the cam disk ( 21 ) and the non-printing region of the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) is defined by a second curved section ( 23 ) of the cam disk ( 21 ). 
     
     
       2. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) has at least one printing region and one non-printing region, one behind the other along its periphery, wherein the hollow body to be printed, arranged on the clamping mandrel ( 13 ), is located at its shortest distance from the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) only when said printing region of the rotating blanket cylinder ( 02 ) is facing the clamping mandrel ( 13 ). 
     
     
       3. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the relevant hollow body to be printed is held for only a certain processing time at each of the positions (A; B; C) along the travel path (S). 
     
     
       4. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the first position (A) of the feed mechanism ( 12 ), located the farthest from the blanket cylinder ( 02 ), is a loading position for loading the clamping mandrel ( 13 ) with the hollow body to be printed. 
     
     
       5. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a second position (B) of the feed mechanism ( 12 ), located closer to the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) than the first position (A), is a holding position, at which the hollow body to be printed, which is held by the clamping mandrel ( 13 ), is or at least can be brought to a certain rotational speed about its longitudinal axis by the rotational drive of the clamping mandrel ( 13 ). 
     
     
       6. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that a third position (C) of the feed mechanism ( 12 ), which is the position closest to the blanket cylinder ( 02 ), is a printing position at which the rotating hollow body, held by the clamping mandrel ( 13 ), can be printed by means of the printing region of the rotating blanket cylinder ( 02 ). 
     
     
       7. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the travel path (S) between the different positions (A; B; C) that is or at least can be traversed by the feed mechanism ( 12 ) can be configured as bidirectional. 
     
     
       8. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the feed mechanism ( 12 ) has a roller ( 24 ) which rolls along the cam disk ( 21 ). 
     
     
       9. The device according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the hollow body to be printed is located at the third position (C) closest to the blanket cylinder ( 02 ) as a result of the adjusting movement of the feed mechanism ( 12 ) only when the roller ( 24 ) of the feed mechanism ( 12 ) is positioned rolling along the first curved section ( 22 ) of the cam disk ( 21 ) which defines the printing region of the blanket cylinder ( 02 ). 
     
     
       10. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that an impression cylinder ( 03 ) is provided, wherein the impression cylinder ( 03 ) is or at least can be thrown onto the blanket cylinder ( 02 ). 
     
     
       11. The device according to  claim 10 , characterized in that the entire circumferential surface of the impression cylinder ( 03 ) is coated with a ceramic. 
     
     
       12. The device according to  claim 10 , characterized in that an applicator device ( 14 ) for applying a solvent to the lateral surface of the impression cylinder ( 03 ) for the purpose of removing printing ink from the lateral surface of the impression cylinder ( 03 ), a doctor blade system ( 16 ) for removing the solvent and residual printing ink from the lateral surface of the impression cylinder ( 03 ), and a cleaning system ( 17 ) having a drying cloth ( 18 ) placed against the lateral surface of the impression cylinder ( 03 ) are each arranged on the impression cylinder ( 03 ), one behind the other in the direction of rotation thereof. 
     
     
       13. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the rotational speed of the clamping mandrel ( 13 ) is set as lower than the rotational speed of the blanket cylinder ( 02 ). 
     
     
       14. The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that on the periphery of the blanket cylinder ( 02 ), a plurality of blankets ( 09 ) are arranged one behind the other, wherein each blanket ( 09 ) forms a printing region of the blanket cylinder ( 02 ).